#SCCARunoffs: Wednesday End-of-Day Report

The story of Leigh Fosberry is, to put it mildly, fascinating. It’s not every day that a spry, er, “veteran” photographer wanders into the media center hoping for a credential. It’s even rarer that she brings her 1976 Indy 500 photo credential with her.

Naturally, that led to questions. How, exactly, did the former high school math teacher end up as one of the few motorsports photographers of her era?

If we’re being honest, it wasn’t because she was a spectacular photographer. It was because she was a motorsports fan, who got hooked on a practice day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and befriended some local SCCA racers to go to the track with them.

“Pocono was opening and I wrote to the Mattiolis and made a suggestion for their programs,” Fosberry said. “I was tired of seeing just cars on the tracks, I wanted to see people! I wanted to see happenings. They said we’d love to extend photo credentials to you if you showed us some of your work.”

And there in lied the rub. She had an instamatic camera to take photos of son and future Formula Vee racer Mark Fosberry, but certainly not a professional level camera. So what to do? She headed down to the local camera store, listened to the experts and owners, and told them she’d buy a camera if they could teach her to use it in two weeks.

“I was taking pictures panning my son on his big wheel down my driveway, or portraits at the top of the slide,” she said of her practice regiment. “I slipped between the gates in the garage for a local driver. I took my roll of film in and they developed it and it was the whole centerpiece (of her local paper).”

The camera store had it hanging up when she returned, and Fosberry, to her credit, honed her skills until magazines like Formula Car, National Speed Sport News and Autoweek, among others, started using her art.

The remote nature of the work did, however, create some misunderstandings.

“I sent off photos and the phone rang one time and they wanted to speak to Leigh Fosberry, and I said ‘this is she,’” she recounted. “I realize if my name were Pam or Sue or Helen, this wouldn’t have happened. They said no, Leigh Fosberry the race photographer and I said ‘this is she.’ There was a little bit of dead silence at the other end.”

But she persevered, and 45 years later is back at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Her son is racing, and she has her camera. It’s a true full-circle moment.

Line ‘Em Up! Grid Gets It Done

Nobody puts things in order like the volunteers working grid at the Runoffs. Headed by grid chief Gayle Lorenz and staffed by 10-12 ladies (and honorary lady Keith McDonald – he’s the one in the pink tutu), they are in charge of placing each and every car in the correct spot to roll onto the track.

As made obvious by various “theme” days and dress codes (Wednesday was pink for breast cancer awareness), they have a lot of fun. They also have a unique view of a race weekend.

“You get to interact a lot more with the drivers,” grid expert Casey Preston said. “You get to have fun with them. It’s nice to see the different cars. You get to interact with the crew. There are difficult times when you get to deal with some grumpy drivers, but it’s all about having fun out here.”

With fields regularly above 40 cars, it can get a little chaotic – but somehow this team thrives under that pressure. It all happens with a list of the order, some chalk, whistles and a series of finger points and arm signals, and they love it.

“I love seeing them all come down at once, even though it makes our life a little hectic,” Preston said. “I love seeing the large number of cars on grid. Working some smaller tracks, I love coming to the Runoffs and seeing these large groups on the grid. That makes it so much more fun.”

Day 2 Qualifying Leaders

The second day of qualifying has concluded for the 58th SCCA National Championship Runoffs being held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Below are provisional qualifying leaders across the 26 different classes with driver name, hometown, SCCA region, car and fastest lap time. (Note: Bolded entries indicate a pole change from Tuesday to Wednesday)

American Sedan: Gregory Eaton; Woodbridge VA; Washington DC Region, Ford Mustang, 1:51.171
B-Spec: David Daughtery; Rock Hill, SC; Central Carolinas Region, Mini Cooper, 2:03.480
E Production: Jesse Prather; Topeka, KS; Kansas Region, BMW Z3 2.5L, 1:48.864
F Production: Craig Chima; Akron, OH; Neohio Region, Lotus Super Seven, 1:52.147
H Production: Eric Vickerman; Howell, MI; Detroit, Austin-Healey Sprite, 1:55.968
Formula 500: Sven de Vries; Holt, MI; Saginaw Valley Region, Novakar J9 Suzuki, 1:42.960
Formula Atlantic: James French; Sheboygan, WI; Milwaukee Region, Ralt RT41 Toyota, 1:29.701
Formula Continental: Simon Sikes; Martinez, GA; Atlanta Region, Citation US2000, 1:36.896
Formula Enterprises 2: C. Russell Turner; Montpelier, VA; Washington DC Region, SCCA Mazda FE2, 1:36.945
Formula F: Thomas Schrage; Bethel, OH; Cincinnati Region, Mygale SJ14 Honda, 1:45.063
Formula Vee: Andrew Whitston; Neenah, WI; Milwaukee Region, Protoform P2, 1:58.104
Formula X: Austin Hill; Frankfort, OH; Ohio Valley Region, Elan DP08 Mazda, 1:39.504
GT-1: David Pintaric; Canfield, OH; Mahoning Valley Region, Ford Mustang, 1:35.588
GT-2: Andrew Aquilante; Chester Springs, PA; Philadelphia Region, Chevrolet Corvette, 1:40.033
GT-3: Troy Ermish; Tracy, CA; San Francisco Region, Nissan 350Z, 1:44.758
GT-Lite: Christopher Bovis; Overland Park, KS; Chicago Region, Honda CRX, 1:52.368
Prototype 1: Jim Devenport; Alamo, CA; San Francisco Region, Elan DP02 Mazda, 1:29.120
Prototype 2: Tim Day Jr.; Scottsdale, AZ; San Francisco Region, Stohr WF1 Suzuki, 1:33.235
Spec Miata: Preston Pardus; New Smyrna Beach, FL; Central Florida Region, Mazda Miata, 1:58.375
Spec Racer Ford 3: Franklin Futrelle; Evans, GA; Atlanta Region, SCCA Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 1:49.914
Super Touring Lite: Danny Steyn; Fort Lauderdale, FL; Florida Region, Mazda MX-5, 1:51.870
Super Touring Under: Joe Moser; Wilmette, IL; Detroit Region, Honda CRX SI, 1:47.078
Touring 1: Andrew Aquilante; Chester Springs, PA; Philadelphia Region, Ford Mustang, 1:42.400
Touring 2: Kurt Rezzetano; Phoenixville, PA; Philadelphia Region, Ford Mustang GT, 1:48.146
Touring 3: Marshall Mast; Denver, PA; Philadelphia Region, Ford Mustang EcoBoost, 1:52.065
Touring 4: Michael Borden; Greenfield, WI; Milwaukee Region, Mazda MX-5, 1:55.292